They have to be skewing the data somehow. Do you really believe that the amount of busy calls in April 2015 was 7? In the field, they have a way of bringing down the average wait time by how SSA collects the data. For instance, if a customer checks in and waits 5 min before seeing a person and that customer is referred but waits another 55 min, they are only counted as waiting 5 min. My guess is the 800# is figured out how to reduce times the same way the field has.
Anon 6:46 and 4:16 are so correct--this has been done over and over through the years. Manipulation of data has been the hallmark of SSA's management process for decades. Numbers are all that matters.
Increased staffing related to the new hires that were brought on board at the tail end of FY14. There is no data that is fudged here my friends. Also, FY15, and April is typically a slower month in terms of call volume.
Anyone who has actually tried calling the 800 # will have noticed no improvement. I'm speculating that the improvement is pure data manipulation.
The more pressing problem is, even if the 800 # answers, they routinely provide inaccurate information. Better to spend the money on additional training instead of additional people who still can't respond to a basic question.
They have to be skewing the data somehow. Do you really believe that the amount of busy calls in April 2015 was 7? In the field, they have a way of bringing down the average wait time by how SSA collects the data. For instance, if a customer checks in and waits 5 min before seeing a person and that customer is referred but waits another 55 min, they are only counted as waiting 5 min. My guess is the 800# is figured out how to reduce times the same way the field has.
ReplyDeletePeople have been taken off case work to answer the phone. It's better to tell people we are working on their case than it is to actually work on it.
ReplyDeleteLol, so true!
DeleteAnon 6:46 and 4:16 are so correct--this has been done over and over through the years. Manipulation of data has been the hallmark of SSA's management process for decades. Numbers are all that matters.
ReplyDeleteIncreased staffing related to the new hires that were brought on board at the tail end of FY14.
ReplyDeleteThere is no data that is fudged here my friends.
Also, FY15, and April is typically a slower month in terms of call volume.
@2:07 sounds like a DCO insider! Question is at what staff level:)
ReplyDeleteAnyone who has actually tried calling the 800 # will have noticed no improvement. I'm speculating that the improvement is pure data manipulation.
ReplyDeleteThe more pressing problem is, even if the 800 # answers, they routinely provide inaccurate information. Better to spend the money on additional training instead of additional people who still can't respond to a basic question.
@10:19 - what does it matter?
ReplyDelete@ 9:28 - I have recently called the 800 # about a problem with mySSA account, and received quick and accurate service.